Suspects Force 77-Year-Old Woman Into Trunk Of Car, Make Her Withdraw Thousands From Bank Account
NORTH APOLLO (KDKA) -- Police are looking for a woman and man believed to be in their thirties involved in a kidnapping and hostage situation.
It all started when the victim, a 77-year-old woman, was in the Shop n' Save plaza in North Apollo.
"She was approached by a white female in her 30's and this female asked for a ride. She said she was in distress and needed a ride," Trooper Stephen Limani with the Pennsylvania State Police said.
When the female suspect got into the woman's car, she told the woman to drive several miles until they got to a pull off.
"At that time, a male came in and got in the car and the female that had been originally with her pulled out a knife and forced her in the back of the vehicle and the male and female drive away," Limani said.
Police say the suspects put the victim in the trunk, then drove around for about two and a half hours. They didn't have any money, so they spent the night in the car in a motel parking lot. The next morning, they drove to the Apollo Trust and made the 77-year-old woman withdraw $5,000 from her account. Police were able to release surveillance images of the woman from the bank.
Then, they drove to another hotel where they hung out for most of the day. Eventually, both suspects got out of the car and the victim managed to get behind the wheel and took off.
"She drives for several miles until she ends up on a toll road in the Belle Vernon area and gets a hold of her husband," Limani said.
Once he picked her up at the Burger King in Belle Vernon, the couple reported the kidnapping to state police in Kiski Valley.
"Obviously very dangerous. The fact that they were willing to kidnap a 77-year-old woman and take her hostage all this time. Very fortunate she wasn't hurt," Limani said.
State police believe the suspects are armed with a knife and possibly a gun. They are asking the public if they have any information, to contact them.
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